1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to apparatus and methods for adjusting the height of a basketball goal and, more particularly, to basketball goal height-adjustment systems in which a biased locking member can be utilized to selectively fix the position of a first arm relative to a second arm, thereby locking the basketball goal at a desired height.
2. Technical Background
Basketball is an increasingly popular sport In the United States and abroad. There are many cities, counties, and other associations that sponsor recreational and instruction leagues where people of all ages can participate in the sport of basketball. Today there are organized leagues for children as young as five and six years old. Accordingly, it is not surprising that more and more people have a basketball goal on their property.
The problem with many basketball goals is that the goal is usually fixed at a certain height above the playing surface with a standard height being about ten (10) feet. Children and younger teens, however, generally don""t have the strength or agility to make a basket at a height of ten feet. Moreover, children tend to develop improper shooting skills attempting to throw a basketball toward a goal that is too high. Oftentimes, children or younger teens get frustrated with the sport of basketball and may give up the sport altogether.
Many attempts have been made by those skilled in the art to design basketball goal systems that are adjustable to several different heights. Such adjustment allows persons of all ages and sizes to enjoy the sport of basketball because the basketball goal can be adjusted to suit the height of the player. Some of the prior art basketball goal systems employ a deformable linkage design that connects the backboard to a rigid mount such as a pole. In operation, prior art deformable linkages can be selectively locked at various positions to secure the basketball goal at a predetermined height above a playing surface.
One disadvantage of prior art deformable linkage devices is that the adjustment mechanism is typically positioned within or near the linkage well above the playing surface. Accordingly, whenever a user desires to adjust the height of the basketball goal, the use of a ladder, stool, or the like is required to enable the user to reach the adjustment mechanism and xe2x80x9cunlockxe2x80x9d the basketball goal. The need to use a ladder, stool, or the like to adjust the height of the basketball goal creates an inherent danger of injury due to falling.
Other prior art adjustable basketball goal systems have adjustment mechanisms that are only accessible through the use of a separate rod or pole, such as a broomstick handle. Often, no such adjustment device is readily available. The user must therefore deal with the inconvenience of finding a suitable implement, or simply choose not to adjust the height of the basketball goal.
Many adjustable basketball goals also are designed such that the entire weight of the basketball goal bears directly on the adjustment system. One disadvantage of these prior art configurations is that it takes more strength and patience to adjust the height of the basketball goal than typical children or younger teens possess. This is unfortunate because it is usually small children or younger teens who have the greatest need to adjust the height of the basketball goal.
Another disadvantage of many prior art adjustable basketball goal systems is that the adjustment mechanism is generally separate and distinct from the securing apparatus. In this regard, both hands of a user are normally needed to simultaneously unlock the system, adjust it, and then lock it again in a predetermined position.
Yet another disadvantage of prior art basketball goal adjustment systems is that many of the securing and adjustment mechanisms require numerous working components and a complex design configuration to adjust and secure the basketball goal system in a predetermined position above a playing surface. Consequently, the cost, difficulty of manufacture, and assembly time are increased.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that it would be an advancement in the art to provide an adjustable basketball goal system that can be adjusted without the use of a ladder or a pole. It would be a further advancement to provide such an adjustable basketball goal system that could be adjusted quickly and easily with a single hand of a user. Finally, it would-be another advancement in the art to provide such an adjustable basketball goal system that is simple in design and cost effective to manufacture.
The present invention is directed to quick-release locking mechanisms that facilitate height adjustment for adjustable basketball goal systems. A basketball goal system according to the present invention may include a rigid support that extends in a substantially upward direction. The rigid support may have a goal side and a back side opposite the goal side. A deformable goal support structure may be pivotally attached to the goal side of the rigid support such that the deformable goal support structure is suspended above a playing surface. A basketball goal may be attached to the deformable goal support structure adjacent the goal side of the rigid support. In one embodiment, the goal consists of a rim.
The deformable goal support structure may be configured such deformation of the deformable goal support structure produces a corresponding change in the height of the basketball goal above the playing surface. Each variation in height of the basketball goal may correspond to a different configuration of the deformable goal support structure. In operation, the deformable goal support structure may maintain the rim of the basketball goal in a substantially horizontal orientation during adjustment.
A first arm may be coupled at a first end to the deformable goal support structure and may extend along the back side of the rigid support. In one embodiment, a second arm may be coupled at a first end to the back side of the rigid support. A second end of the second arm may slidably cooperate with the first arm. In one embodiment, the second end of the second arm engages a second end of the first arm in a telescoping manner.
In one embodiment, one or more locking plates may be positioned within an opening formed in the first arm. The locking plates may include openings through which the second arm extends. The openings may be configured to permit the locking plates to be disposed in a non-perpendicular angle with respect to the second arm.
In one embodiment, a biasing member is operably disposed between the locking plates such that the locking plates are biased away from each other into a non-perpendicular position with respect to the second arm. In this configuration, the plates within the first arm bind the second arm to prevent relative motion between the first and second arms, thus securing the basketball goal at a particular height. This design efficiently utilizes the forces acting on the adjustable basketball goal system to lock the system in place without the need of a complex operational design or numerous intricate working components.
An adjustment handle may be movably attached to an outside surface of the first arm to engage one end of each of the respective locking plates. The adjustment handle may be movable between an engaged position wherein the locking plates bind with the second arm and one or more disengaged positions wherein a portion of the adjustment handle forces a set of locking plates into a substantially perpendicular position relative to the second arm. The adjustment handle may be moved upward or downward along the length of the first arm to release the locking plates that bind the first arm to the second arm. Upon release, movement of the adjustment handle may move the first arm relative to the second arm to deform the deformable goal support structure and thereby adjust the height of the basketball goal.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, an engagement grip may be attached to a first arm and may selectively engage corresponding openings formed along the length of a second arm to facilitate adjustment of the height of a basketball goal over a playing surface. The engagement grip may have two locking members disposed along opposing sides of the second arm to selectively engage the openings formed along the length of the second arm, there by permitting the second arm to be locked to the first arm. The locking members may be connected to a release member proximate the handle such that the locking members pivot out of engagement with the openings in response to pressure on the release member.
A housing of the engagement grip may have an internal periphery sufficient to contain the locking member(s). The housing may be rigidly attached to a section of the length of the first arm. A biasing member may be positioned to bias one or more of the locking members into engagement with the openings formed along the length of the second arm to prevent movement of the second arm relative to the first arm when the locking members engage the openings. In one embodiment, an adjustment handle may be attached to or formed in the housing such that a user can actuate the locking member(s) while gripping the handle to selectively engage and disengage the openings formed in the second arm.
According to another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the engagement grip may contain a single locking member, which may be selectively slidable to engage or disengage a plurality of openings formed in the second arm. The locking member may take the form of a locking plate, and each of the openings may take the form of a slot. If desired, the second arm may be shaped such that the locking member engages multiple slots simultaneously. For example, the second arm may have ridges or upraised portions, each of which has a plurality of slots formed therein such that the locking plate may be simultaneously inserted into the slots of multiple ridges. The locking plate may also have prongs to restrain lateral motion of the locking plate with respect to the second arm, thereby providing a more stable adjustment mechanism.
The locking plate may be affixed to a release mechanism, which may take the form of a trigger, at least part of which protrudes from the housing of the engagement grip so that a user can actuate the trigger. The trigger and the locking plate may be biased toward the second arm by a biasing mechanism, such as a linear spring, configured to exert pressure between the trigger and the housing. The housing of the engagement grip may be manufactured from a single piece of material, or from multiple pieces that can subsequently be assembled. If desired, the housing may be constructed of a single piece of molded plastic.
A basketball goal system of the present invention, according to any of the above-described embodiments, may also comprise a counterbalance member such as a spring. The counterbalance member may be coupled between an upper or lower arm of the deformable goal support structure and the backboard. In the alternative, the counterbalance member may be disposed parallel to the first and second arms and may be coupled to the first and second arms or to the deformable goal support structure and the rigid support so that the counterbalance member is disposed along the arms. In operation, the counterbalance member may provide force to at least partially counterbalance the weight of the basketball goal.
One method for adjusting the height of the basketball goal above the playing surface, in accordance with the present invention, may include moving the locking member(s) to a disengaged position, deforming the deformable goal support structure while maintaining the locking member(s) in the disengaged position, and moving the locking member(s) to an engaged position to secure the first arm to the second arm. In certain embodiments, all of these steps may be performed in rapid sequence with only a single hand of a user.
Thus, the present invention may provide quick-release locking mechanisms for adjustable basketball goal systems that are cost effective to manufacture and easy to assemble. The present invention may also provide the ability to adjust the height of the basketball goal without the aid of a ladder or pole. In selected embodiments, a basketball goal system may be unlocked, moved to a new height, and locked again using only a single hand of a user. Moreover, these steps may be performed with only a minimal force applied by the user.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent by examination of the following description of the exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings.